These are not isolated gaps. They are repeated system failures that do not ensure continuity of care.

In the absence of system-level coordination, care defaults to familes:
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● More than 95% of people receiving care at home rely on an unpaid caregiver
● Without caregivers, most individuals would not be able to remain in the community

● Growing reliance on caregivers reflects the absence of coordinated system support
● Nearly 40% of caregivers report distress, burnout, or declining health
Source: National Seniors Council (NSC)

This level of reliance is not sustainable — and the strain is already visible across core systems:
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● 42% of Canadians provide unpaid care to children or adults with long-term conditions
● 6% of Canadians are “sandwich caregivers,” supporting both children and care-dependent adults
● Nearly 1 in 4 sandwich caregivers report high levels of stress while balancing competing care demands
● Unpaid caregivers provide the majority of care at home in Canada
Source: StatsCan — Caregiving (Sandwich Caregivers)

At the center of this are caregivers — and many are reaching their breaking point:
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● More than 2 in 5 unpaid caregivers are in distress
● Caregivers in distress are providing care equivalent to a full-time job
● 2 in 3 distressed caregivers struggle to continue in their role
Source: CIHI — Caregiver Distress

The scale of this crisis now requires policy, financial, and system-level intervention:
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‍● Caregiving is a growing national issue requiring policy, financial, and system-level intervention
● Many caregivers lack access to timely, tailored supports — driving burnout and system breakdown
● Caregiving is associated with chronic stress and worsening physical and mental health outcomes
● Caregivers are delivering complex care without adequate supports, training, or system recognition
Source:  CareMakers — Caregiving in Canada (Challenges and Opportunities)

While the system is under strain, demand continues to rise:
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● Autism now affects 1 in 44 children in Canada — significantly increasing demand for lifelong support
● 68.7% of children with autism have at least one additional long-term condition, reflecting high complexity of care needs
● 48.1% of children have a learning disability
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC — Autism Data)

This growing demand is not only increasing in volume — but in complexity:
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● 73.3% of children with autism experience functional difficulties affecting daily living
● The majority of children with autism experience functional limitations affecting daily life
● Functional difficulties most commonly affect communication, learning, and behaviour
Source: PHAC — Functional Difficulties (Autism)


This broader system failure is reflected clearly at the provincial level:
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● Government supports are a lifeline—yet many still face unmet needs and financial instability
● Policy changes and system reviews create ongoing uncertainty for families already carrying the load
Source: YYC Policy — Disability Supports in Alberta

Alberta's Disability Supports


Alberta's system reflects the same patterns
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‍Fragmented access, inconsistent support, and no mechanism ensuring continuity of care.
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Alberta's primary disability support systems include:
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Persons with Developmental Disabilities PDD Supports and Services
Family Support for Children with Disabilities FSCD Supports and Services

● Thousands of children and adults with developmental disabilities remain waitlisted without access to supports
Source: Inclusion Alberta — FSCD & PDD Access and Funding

This is not a capacity issue — it is a failure to deliver supports in a timely and continuous way.

These failures are not new — the system has been aware for years:
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● The system anticipated the aging wave — yet long-term system coordination has not kept pace
● Significant gaps remain in Alberta's services for aging adults with developmental disabilities
Source: Alberta PDD — Older Adults Supports Study (Commissioned Report)

‍Even when supports are approved, the system lacks the coordination required to ensure they are delivered consistently:
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● 2022 OAG report —  identified failures in FSCD service delivery OAGreport2022
● 2025 OAG report — confirms that there are ongoing gaps despite meeting basic requirements  OAGreport2025

These findings confirm that the issue is not awareness — it is the absense of coordinated, enforceable continuity of care.

Where continuity of Care Breaks Down Most Clearly: Housing
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● Accessible housing is “near impossible” to find for many Albertans with disabilities, demand far exceed supply
● Many individuals on fixed disability income are left with little to no income after rent
● Only 2–3% of affordable units are fully accessible
Source: Accessible Housing (2026)
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● Demand is structural — not temporary. Over 1 in 4 Albertans require disability supports.
● Systems are not scaling with prevalence — barriers remain widespread despite rising need.
● Disability drives both service demand and economic vulnerability — intensifying pressure on families and systems.
● This is not a small population — it is a significant portion of Alberta’s population navigating unmet needs.
Source: Vancouver Adaptive Disability Society (March 2026)

Taken together, these conditions point to a clear conclusion:
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● Families are waiting up to 3 years to access supports  — demonstrating a failure of timely service delivery
● FSCD and PDD systems are described as unresponsive and bureaucratic  —failing to provide timely access to adequate support
Source: Inclusion Alberta — FSCD & PDD Survey Results

This is not a gap in services — it is a failure of the system to ensure continuity, coordination, and accountability. What is missing is not additional services — it is a system that ensures those services are continuous, coordinated, and sustained over time.

Without this, the same failures will continue — regardless of funding, policy changes, or program expansion.